Frozen Heart
by trustxbelieve
Summary: Elsa's taken residence in Storybrook, and Emma and Killian go to see what she wants. Things don't go as smoothly as planned, and they realize that only love will thaw. [Captain Swan]


"So, it would seem that Gold had the Snow Queen locked away in that weird dungeon of his," Regina said as she pulled her jacket tighter against her, the cold increasingly becoming unbearable.

"Why the hell did he have her locked up?"

"Apparently he tried to help her control her powers, but he couldn't so he thought putting her in a jar would be for the best."

"So we have an angry girl who shoots ice from her hands and controls the weather, and we have no idea why she's so angry," David said with a nod.

"Maybe we can talk to her, find out what's wrong," Snow suggested.

"Any idea where we can find her?" Emma asked.

"Just a shot in the dark here, but I don't recall a giant ice palace being apart of Storybrooke," Killian said as he gestured over to where the ice castle was built.

"Alright, pirate," Emma sighed. "You're going to need some warmer clothes."

* * *

"So, what's the plan, love? Just waltz right in and expect her to warm the whole town?" Killian asked as they walked the trail up to the castle, where hopefully the Snow Queen was staying.

"I mean, when you put it like that," she said, rolling her eyes. "Let's just hurry this up, I'm freezing."

"Aye, I'm not accustomed to this type of climate."

"Glad I gave you a shirt with actual buttons?"

"Very. I'd bloody well take being in Neverland again over this freezing tundra."

"I wouldn't go that far, Hook," Emma said.

They finally reached the doors of the castle. Emma was in awe of how beautiful it was, made entirely out of ice, but couldn't waste time staring at it. She knocked on the door, not entirely expecting to get an answer, but trying to stay optimistic. The double doors opened on their own, and Killian and Emma took that as a sign for them to enter.

"Hello?" Emma called out, hoping the Snow Queen would appear.

"Who are you?" a woman said from the top of the stairs, her long blonde hair braided intricately and an annoyed look painted on her face. "Why are you here?"

"I'm Emma Swan, Snow White and Prince Charming's daughter," Emma said, hoping she knew her parents. "I'm just trying to find out why you're here and how to stop the eternal winter."

"I'm Captain Hook," Killian said with a smirk, earning an elbow to the ribs from Emma. "Just here to help."

"Go away, you have no business being here."

"Actually, I do," Emma said. "I'm the sheriff here in Storybrook and I've been getting a lot of complaints about the weather, which you happen to be changing."

"I have no control of it, I can't help it."

"I know," Emma nodded, walking closer to her. "What's your name?"

"Elsa."

"Why would Rumplestiltskin lock you away?"

"Because he's evil?" Killian suggested. Emma just glared at him. "Thought the floor was open to everyone."

"I went to him years ago. I accidently struck my sister, Anna, with my powers. I thought he would help me."

"Every deal with him comes with a price," Emma said and Elsa nodded sadly. "What was the price?"

"He was going to train me so he could use me to set off some curse," she said. "He told me I was the most powerful person he's ever come across."

"He must tell that to all the ladies," Killian said.

"He said he'd save my sister, but I ended up not needing him in a way," Elsa said. "He still wanted me to hold up my end of the bargain, and I lost control. I froze him and ran away, but he found me and locked me up."

"So are you here to get revenge?"

"I just want to find my sister. It's been so long, I don't even know where to look first. I just know I was brought here through some portal and I was hoping it was a sign that this is where she is."

"I might have moved your jar," Killian said sheepishly. "I don't know if that's the sign you were looking for, lass."

"We'll help you find Anna if you help end this winter," Emma said.

"No, I can find her on my own. You should leave now," Elsa said. The temperature began to drop.

"I can't do that," Emma tried to reason.

"Leave!" Elsa said heatedly, ice rushing from her hands and striking Emma right in the chest, causing her to fall back onto the ground. "Oh God, I'm so sorry. Just please, leave."

"Fine, but we'll be back," Killian said as he helped Emma off the ground. "It's a small town, love. There's no where you can really go."

The two of them walked back to Granny's where everyone was waiting. Emma felt even colder, but figured she'd warm up once she got inside.

"Did you find the Snow Queen?" Regina asked.

"Her name is Elsa, and yes, we did," Emma said as she slid into the booth, Killian staying right by her side. "Apparently Gold wanted her before she wanted you and Zelena."

"What is wrong with that man? Why can't he do anything himself?" Regina said in a huff.

"Why is she here?" David asked.

"She's looking for her sister, Anna."

"I've never met an Anna here before," Snow said. "Or in the Enchanted Forest."

"Elsa's before us, I believe," Regina said. "It took Gold some time before he got to me."

"I'm older than the lot of you, and I've heard stories of a frozen palace, but a lot of it was bedtime stories the Lost Boys told," Killian said.

"Maybe not," Snow said. "Emma, are you okay?"

"Fine," she answered through chattering teeth. "Is the heat not on in here?"

"Emma, love, you're freezing," Killian said as he pulled Emma closer to attempt to warm her up. "Where did Elsa's magic strike you?"

"She got me in the heart," Emma said.

"That's a problem," Regina said.

"Why is that a problem?" Snow asked in concern.

"Only an act of true love can thaw a frozen heart. There's nothing else that'll save you."

"True love's kiss," Henry said hopefully, looking over toward Killian, who was shaking his head sadly.

"Let's just move Emma some place warm so we can figure out the next step. Maybe Elsa can do something," David said as he helped pull Emma from the booth at Granny's and carried her to the house.

* * *

"There's nothing I can do, I'm so sorry," Elsa said as she paced back and forth in front of the Charming's home.

"You did this to her, reverse it," Killian said angrily.

"I told you the only thing that can do that, pirate," Regina said in a bored tone.

"She's right," Elsa agreed. "I'm so sorry, I didn't mean for any of this to happen. This is what happened to Anna, and last time I tried to fix it the Dark One locked me away."

"Crocodile," Killian grumbled as he ran his hands through his hair.

"I shouldn't even be here, I'm making the cold worse for her," Elsa said sadly. "I never meant for any of this to happen."

"We know," Snow said kindly. "Why don't you go with Regina and maybe she can help you control your powers for now. Once this is all figured out and Emma's okay, we'll help you find your sister."

"Lucky for you, I don't have a heart to freeze," Regina said with a smirk. "Come on, Ice Queen."

"I don't know how to help her, David," Snow said quietly. "She's just lying there, freezing to death."

"We know how to help her, we just don't know who," David said. He looked over at his daughter, covered in blankets and quilts, lying on the bed with Killian. "Or maybe we do."

"Henry tried," Snow said, not fully understanding what her husband was getting at.

"No such luck," Henry said, shrugging sadly. "I guess it's a good thing that my mom isn't my true love, would be kind of Norman Bates-y."

"Who?"

"Never mind," Henry said as he shook his head at his failed attempt at humor in this rough time. "My dad's dead."

"He wouldn't have fixed this either," David said, placing a comforting hand on his grandson's shoulder. "I think there's another person who should try."

"Me?" Killian said when he looked up and saw David staring at him. "I'm sorry, mate, but I can't."

"How come?"

"I," he sighed. "I've tried it before, it didn't work."

"When exactly did you try this?"

"When I went to get them from New York," he said as he looked down at his hands, fiddling with his rings. "I thought I could get her to remember, but no such luck."

"That's because she didn't remember you," David said knowingly.

"Aye, mate. That's why I tried it," Killian said, not catching on.

"It doesn't work if the other doesn't remember."

"Come again?"

"Snow drank a potion to forget me, and when I tried True Love's kiss, she still didn't remember."

"You really think it'll work?" Killian asked hopefully as he gazed down at Emma, who's hair was slowly turning white.

"It's worth a shot," David said. "I know how much you care about her, and even though she doesn't show it, I know she cares the same for you."

"We'll leave you two alone," Snow said as she grabbed David and Henry.

"Just don't take too long, Hook," David said before shutting the door.

"Swan," Killian sighed as he shifted next to her. "If this doesn't work a second time, I'm having the Evil Queen rip out my heart."

He leaned down and brushed a strand of hair that was still blonde away from her face, took a deep breath to calm himself, and placed his lips on to hers. After a moment that felt like eternity, Emma began to warm up.

"Why am I bundled like a burrito?" she asked as she looked up at Killian, who had the biggest smile on his face. "What exactly did I miss? Where's Elsa?"

"Did it work?" Snow asked as she popped her head in and saw Emma was awake and no longer turning into an ice statute. "David, Henry! She's okay!"

"It worked," H enry said excitedly. "True love's kiss worked."

"I'm sorry, but what worked?" Emma asked as she stared at everyone in the room.

"I kissed you," Killian said simply, a small blush creeping into his cheeks. "And now you're not frozen."

"An act of true love will thaw a frozen heart," Henry restated Regina's words. "Looks like he's your true love, Mom."

"Oh," was all Emma could say.

"Regina's with Elsa," Snow said. "We'll head over there and let them know you're okay, and give you two some privacy."

"Don't think we need any privacy," Emma said awkwardly as she sat up in bed, pulling the blankets with her since she was still chilly.

Emma and Killian sat in silence for a while, trying to take in the situation and figure out the next step. She always had a feeling it would be him, but never wanted to hope or acknowledge it. Sure, they kissed at Granny's after they came back from the Enchanted Forest, but that was just a regular kiss. This was True Love's kiss, something entirely different and she didn't know how to handle it.

"I don't expect this will change anything," Killian finally said after the silence became unbearable. "I know what the kiss means and all the connotations that come with it, but I don't want it to dictate how we go about – whatever we have going about."

"You don't?" she asked in surprise.

"No, I don't want you to think we have to be together because of this, because we don't," he said, making Emma think of how Robin was still with Marian currently (even though the longing looks he'd give Regina when she was around were completely obvious and he was clearly in love with her and not Marian). "I just want you to be happy, and I know being together because of a kiss will not make you happy."

"I'm happy with you," she said quietly. "I just don't want to rush this."

"So cancel the wedding your mother is planning?" Killian said with a smirk.

"Stop, that's not funny," she said, giving him a small smile. "Thanks for unfreezing my heart."

"Literally or figuratively?"

"Both."

* * *

**So, this was just my little theory of how I think Elsa will fit into the show. Probably completely off (as I was with most of my ideas for the second half of season 3) but I thought it would be nice if Killian and Emma were True Loves and he saves her like that.**


End file.
